Noiser – Amateur Half-Hour
Noiser is an eclectic solo noise-rock artist from Las Angeles, California. In his own words, his debut mixtape, Amateur Half-Hour, is a selection of works from 2020-2021 with varying degrees of quality. A rather self-pitying, but accurate statement, as the range in quality greatly varies between tracks.
There are a few notable bangers on one end of the spectrum. Malvo’s noise is deliriously delightful. The vocal effects are repeated as in Everyday Everything (a solid song, bar the poor vocals), though to a more stunning effect in contrast with the prevailing, captivating walls of noise. The artist truly earns his name here. The Sonic Youth amalgamations are undeniably impressive for a solo effort, laying the foundation of success in future if further expanded upon. These moments are most prevalent in tracks New year New Me, and especially Rise and Fall. If Noiser ever re-records any song off this project, it ought to be Rise and Fall, as the walls of sound are spectacular, and the drum kit doesn’t do it justice. Nonetheless, both of these songs are worth checking out, as are the noisy elements on Blur.
Unfortunately, the remaining album treads closer to the poorer end of the spectrum. When I’m With You may have been a banger, had it not been for the lack of mixing and production. Furthermore, the vocals are poorly mixed in, as is their delivery sadly flat. The beat and and rhythm are on point, though. Pound starts with energy and vigour but repeats itself into a boring oblivion. The album slogs through North Carolina, Reptition and Eulogy; all one-trick ponies with little refinement or anything of value to offer noise-rock. These songs feel less like songs or even experiments, and more like the artist was recording one of his practice sessions.
There’s one admirable quality to Noiser’s work that will help him succeed once he addresses his shortcomings; his ability to let the instruments breathe and play about. That’s not to say his vocals kill his tracks - in fact, they complement the compositions quite well; they do require some tweaking/refinement, though. Suffice to say, it’s the production that mostly drags the project down; the mixing is inconsistent, the mastering lacking, and the drum kit greatly disappointing. If Noiser address these elements and reduce the filler in future, there’s little doubt his next noise project will make bigger waves.
Below Average
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